Sacred Heart Church, Caterham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sacred Heart Church |
|
|---|---|
| Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Caterham | |
.JPG)
Church entrance
|
|
 Sacred Heart Church
Location in Surrey
|
|
| 51°17′15″N 0°05′12″W / 51.287365°N 0.086702°W | |
| OS grid reference | TQ3348456029 |
| Location | Caterham, Surrey |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | CaterhamCatholic.co.uk |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 24 August 1879 |
| Founder(s) | Fr Francis Roe |
| Dedication | Most Sacred Heart of Jesus |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade II listed |
| Designated | 19 November 1984 |
| Architect(s) | Edward Ingress Bell |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 24 June 1880 |
| Completed | 11 August 1881 |
| Construction cost | £5,000 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Redhill |
| Diocese | Arundel and Brighton |
| Province | Southwark |
Sacred Heart Church, also known as the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, is a Roman Catholic church in Caterham, Surrey, England. It is a special building because it is a "parish church," meaning it serves the local Catholic community. The church was designed by Ingress Bell and finished in 1881. You can find it between Essendene Road and Whyteleafe Road, just off the High Street. The building is officially recognized as a Grade II listed building, which means it's an important historic place.
Contents
Building the Church
Starting the Church Community
In 1879, a local Catholic named Francis Parson asked the Bishop of Southwark, James Danell, for a priest to come to Caterham. Bishop Danell sent Father Francis Roe to help the Catholic community there.
Father Roe held his first Mass (a special church service) on August 24, 1879. This service took place in a temporary chapel built by army officers in a local depot. Before this, a priest from Croydon would travel to Caterham to hold Mass for soldiers and other local Catholics.
Laying the Foundation Stone
On June 24, 1880, the foundation stone for the new church was laid by Bishop Danell. This stone is like the very first brick of a building. Most of the money for building the church came from Father Roe's father, Captain William Harriott Roe.
The church's architect was Ingress Bell. He also designed another church, St Joseph Church in Guildford, which was later taken down in the 1980s. Ingress Bell designed Sacred Heart Church in a style called Gothic Revival. This style looks like the old Gothic churches from the Middle Ages. The church was also built in a cruciform shape, which means it looks like a cross from above.
Opening Day
The Sacred Heart Church officially opened its doors on August 11, 1881. The very first Mass in the new church was led by Cardinal Manning, who was the Archbishop of Westminster.
Inside the Church
Beautiful Art and Windows
Inside the church, you can see amazing murals (wall paintings) that show scenes from the life of Jesus. These were designed by Joseph Aloysius Pippet. They were painted around the apse, which is the curved part at the end of the church, near the altar.
The company Hardman & Co. painted the murals and created the church's windows. The main window in the apse was made in 1881, and the murals and other windows were added in 1889. In 1907, people said the church's sanctuary (the holy area around the altar) had been "adorned with elegant mosaic pictures."
-
Church of the Sacred Heart
-
Chancel
-
South chapel
-
Angels in the Apse
-
Altar
-
Apse window
_(April_2013)_(7).JPG)
.jpg)
The Church Community
Serving the Local Area
The Sacred Heart Church serves the Catholic people living in Caterham, Whyteleafe, and Godstone. The church holds Mass every day, and three services on Sundays. Many of these services are also livestreamed (broadcast live online) and recorded, so people can watch them from home.
Restoring the Murals
Over time, the beautiful Pippet murals were damaged by water and earlier attempts to fix them. From 2015, a special project worked to conserve and restore these paintings, making them look new again. The church is also a member of the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales.
See also
- List of places of worship in Tandridge (district)
